Baseball game apparatus



' March 13. 1928.

G. R. LIVINGSTON BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GILBERT E. L/vuvesron way/9 C ATTORNEY March 13, 1928.

G. R. LIVINGSTON BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GILBERT E. LIVINGSTON ATTORNEY \&

M il Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT R. LIVINGSTON, OF OCEAN PARK, cnmrolmma BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS.

Application filedDecember 2B, 1926. Serial No. 157,748.

My invention relates to games, and it has for its purpose the provision of a game apparatus of extremely simple, durable and inexpensive construction which is designed to carry out as closely as possible the playing of base ball, even to the extent of providing a ball pitching device a ball batting device and a board having asurfacein representation of a base ball field: and over which a ball is projected in a manner similar to a base ball game.

I will describe only one form of game apparatus embodying my invention, and w ll then point out the novel features thereof in claims. I

In the drawings 7 m Figure 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of game apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a game board including a flat body 15 secured within a frame 16, and an upper surface of the body 15 constitutes a base ball field and having thereon lines 17, 18 and 19 positioned as shown in Figure 1, and defining Zones which are employed in the scoring of the game.

At one corner of the board is arranged a U-shaped yoke 20, preferably formed of a single length of wire, with its ends removably mounted in a pair of brackets 21 secured on the frame 16. The yoke wire is bent to provide an eye 22 to which a chain or other flexible member 23 is connected for the supporting of a weight 24 preferably formed of lead and constituting a bat which is adapted to be manually swung in a man ner similar to a pendulum for projecting a ball over the surface of the board.

In the same corner'with' the batting device the body 15 is formed with a pocket 25 which constitutes a home plate and is positioned directly in the rear of the bat 24, when the latter is in normal position. At the sides of the pocket 25 are two smaller pockets 26 which are disposed at opposite sides of the path of movement of the bat, and which are designedto receive the ball for a purpose which will be described hereinafteix Guiding ribs 27 are secured to the boardbetween the pocket'25 and the pockets 26 to provide a restricted mouth for a ball entering the pocket 25 and tending to direct balls into the pockets 26.

and .26 are provided with bottoms, all of Y whichare formed by a strip 28 of wood or other suitable material secured to the under side ofthe body '15 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. p

At the ends of the line 17 theboard is formed with pockets 29 and 30 provided with bottom strips (notshown) in amanner similar to the strips28. These two pockets constitute first and thirdbase; as indicated by the legends, and because'oftheir positioning with respect to'the adjacent corners of the board it will be understood that the frame 16 tends to guide balls projected'toward the pockets into the latter, At the ends of the line 18 pockets 31 and32 are formed in the board, both of which are provided with bottoms and which are designed to designate left and rightfields of a base ball field as indicated by the legends. Be-. tween these pockets and preferably inter secting the line 18 is a third pocket 33 which designates the short stop position as indicated by the legends. Beyond the line-18 are two other pockets 34 having bottoms and designated home runs, as indicated by the legends. Each of these pockets is formed with an arcuate head 35 which functions to prevent a ball finding the pocket other than by a direct hit. At the extreme further: corner of the board a pocket '36 is formed there,- in and provided with a bottom, this pocket designating second'base as indicated by the legend. Guide strips 37 are arranged as shown, so as to function in guiding a ball projected over the surface toward the pocket 36 i i For projecting a ball'toward the batting device I provide a pitching device which comprises a block 38 of tapered form, with its bottom provided with a pin 39 which extends into a suitable opening in the board body 15 and to secure the block against longitudinal displacement but to provide a pivot above which the block can be moved to permitshifting thereof from one side to The pockets 25 the other. The upper surface of the block 1 is in part curved and inclined downwardly and grooved to provide a ball chute 40. The upper end of this chute communicates with a curved and slightly inclined platform ll on which a hall 42, preferably formed of steel, is adapted to he placed preparatory to causing it to be projected downwardly of the chute.

in operation, one player. called the hat:- ter, manipulates the hat Qel, while another ila 'er, called the pitcher manipulates the pitchinp device to project the hall across the tield or hoard tmrard the halting device. By pushing the hall 42 t'oiwvardly on the platform 41 it will he caused to descend the chute 10, traveling across the hoard as indicated in dotted lines in lrig'nre 1. toward the home plate po laet .ts the hall moves to ard the home plate. the hatter. having elevated the har as indicated in Figure 2. releases the latter so as to allow it to swing forwardly toward the hall. and it' such a re lease has been pro iierlv timed with respect to the mt'ivcmcnt ol? the hall. the hat will strike the hall and thus project it torwardlv across the lield. It the hall comes to rest at the adjacent side of the line ,lT it is called a foul and consequently a strilm in keeping with the rules of hase hall. ll the hall should come to rest hetween the lines 17 and 18 it may he considered a one base hit, between lines 18 and 19 a two hase hit, while it coming to rest; he 'ond the line 19 it is counted as a three hase hit. It the hall comes to rest within any one of the base designating pockets or the pockets 3], 3'2 and 35 it is considered an out. It the hall should stop within one of the pockets .34 it is counted as a home run.

In the actual playing of the game tour halls 42 are employed, one for hattina purposes and the other three for desi nating men on. the hases. Cupped recesses ii are formed in the frame 16 opposite the hase pockets in which the halls representing men can he placed, thus showing that one or more liases is occupied.

Should the hatter tail, to strike the hall with the hat 2t and the hall (tunes to rest within the home plate pocket 25 it is counted as a strike. If, on the other hand. the hatter makes no attempt to strike the hall hecause it has not heen projected in the line of swing of the hat it is counted as a hall and in most instances comes to rest within either of the pockets 526. As in regular hase hall, should the batter receive tour halls he is entitled to place a man on the first hase, it being understood that. during the playing of the game a man may advance from one base to the other in accordance with the rules of base hall.

As PIGVlOUSl) descrihed, the hlock 38 is capable of heing' swung, to one side or the other ahout the pin 39 as a center. In this manner the chute 40 in respect to the lltllllllg device can he positioned h v the pitcher as desired, so as to project: the hall along: ditl'erent paths, thus rendering the hattin; ol the hall more diliicult. Further. the speed of travel of the hall can he varied as desired, h v starting its descent at various points along the length ot the chute alt].

itlthouah I have herein shown and de scrihed only one form of game apparatus emhodj 'ing my invention. it is to he under" stood that various changes and modilications ma he made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. and the spirit and scope ot the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising, a hoard having a surface in representation of a hasc hall ticld. with pockets therein adapted to rcceive a hall and positioned to correspond with the hases and home plate of a hast: hall diamond, other pockets adapted to receive a hall and for designating other positions on a hase hall field, lines on the surface di' riding" the field into zones, pockets adjacent the home plate pocket adapted to receive a hall therein, guiding rihs secured to the hoard between the home plate pocket and the pockets adjacent the home plate pocket and convergingtowards the field so as to provide a restricted month for the home plate pocket and tending to direct halls in to the adjacent pockets. a hall pitchine' device tor projecting a hall over the surface toward the home plate pocket. and a hall hatting device positioned in advance at the home plate pocket hetwecn the pockets adjacent thereto and operahle to strike a hall projected hv the. pitching device.

2. A game apparatus as enihodied in claim 1 wherein certain of said lllt'lit'l, are pat ttially surrounded with heads which operate to prevent the deposit ot a hall into the pockets other than by a dire t hit. and guid strips are provided in alincmcnt with and at opposite sides of the hall pitching dcri c for guiding a hall projected hevond sa d pitching device, into one of mid ptu'llcl Til 

